A significant ceremony marking the launch of the gas exploration and production project at the Tuti-Maidan field in northern Afghanistan was held recently.  Fergana news agency says the event was attended by senior officials from both Uzbekistan and Afghanistan.

From the Uzbek side, the ceremony featured the Special Representative of the President of Uzbekistan in Afghanistan, Ismatulla Irgashev; Chairman of the Board of Uzbekneftegaz, Bahodir Sidikov; and Deputy Minister of Energy of Uzbekistan, Bakhtiyor Mamatkarimov.

Afghanistan was represented by Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Taliban’s Economic Affairs Department, and Hedayatullah Badri, the Minister of Mines and Petroleum.

Abdul Ghani Baradar reportedly emphasized that the project’s launch symbolizes Afghanistan’s readiness to attract foreign investment.  He noted that the implementation of the project would reduce the country’s reliance on imported hydrocarbons and electricity, create job opportunities, mitigate currency outflows, and lay the groundwork for gas exports.

According to Amu.tv, the Uzbek company Eriellcom is handling the project, having signed a ten-year contract worth $100 million for its first year of operation in October 2024.  

Tolonews reports that a 25-year contract has also been signed with the "AERL Group and KAM Energy Company" for the project’s development.

Ismatulla Irgashev previously announced that the project would be carried out by a joint Uzbek-Afghan company, Eriell KAM.

The Tuti-Maidan gas field, located in the provinces of Jowzjan and Faryab in northern Afghanistan, spans approximately 7,000 square kilometers.  The field is believed to contain reserves of up to 3 trillion cubic meters of gas.  The total investment in the project is expected to reach US$1 billion, with funds allocated over the next decade.

This project is reportedly seen as a crucial step towards strengthening regional energy ties and bolstering Afghanistan’s energy infrastructure, while also offering significant economic benefits for both nations.